Ukraine and Russia held their second round of direct peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, following a weekend of intense military escalation.

The meeting, hosted at Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace, lasted over an hour. “The meeting is over. It didn’t end negatively,” said Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli, according to AFP.

Ukraine’s delegation was led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, while Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky headed the Russian side. The first round of talks on May 16 had seen limited progress, with both sides agreeing on a prisoner swap.

Drone Assault: Operation ‘Spider Web’

Just a day before the talks, Ukraine launched a large-scale drone operation dubbed ‘Spider Web,’ reportedly directed by President Zelenskyy. The strike targeted four military airfields deep inside Russian territory.

According to the Associated Press, Ukraine deployed 117 drones, inflicting heavy damage on 34% of Russia’s fleet of air missile carriers. Among the affected aircraft were the Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons, as well as an A-50 radar plane.

One of the farthest targets, the Belaya air base in Irkutsk—over 4,000 km from Ukraine—was among the sites hit.

Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed the attacks, reporting damage and fires at airbases in the Irkutsk and Murmansk regions, and repelled strikes in Amur, Ivanovo, and Ryazan.

Despite the military tensions, the talks suggest a possible diplomatic opening as global pressure mounts for a resolution.